Starting a business is hard enough in itself, but if you have a bad or adverse credit history that task becomes all the more difficult, since as all high street business bank accounts require the business owner to undergo a credit check.

Some pre-paid credit card companies have taken advantage of this and have developed new products for businesses. These card-based accounts, don’t require a credit check, making it easy to get an account up and running. Perfect for those bad credit histories.

According to CardOneBanking, the business ‘bank' account is specifically designed for small business, and offers telephone and online banking. There's no credit check, you'll need to prove your identity, and pay the application fee, which is refundable if your application isn't successful. The new account can be up and running in as little as 24 hours, making it great for those who can't wait to start taking payments.

The account holder will receive a Mastercard debit card, with a maximum of four additional cardholders able to be added to the account (albeit at a cost).

What can I do with the account?

Receive and make electronic payments in your business’ name

Setup standing orders and direct debits (coming soon)

Pay in cash (via Post Office, and Barclays Branches)

Pay in Cheques (via Barclays Branches)

Withdraw money

Access online banking

Set up direct debits

Receive international payments

What can’t I do?

Write cheques

Visit a branch (there are none, but customers can use Barclays or the Post Office)

How much does it cost?

There’s an initial application fee of £55 (refundable if the application is rejected), and an on-going monthly charge of £12.50, making this account a fair deal more expensive than the Cash Plus option, but still reasonable. Bear in mind, that most traditional bank accounts have a cover charge ranging from £5-10 per month (£60-£120 per year).

In addition to the costs above, the account also carries charges for electronic credit (£0.25), Faster Payments (£7.50), standing orders (£0.30), and a myriad of other fees, so make sure you're aware of what exactly you'll be charged for and work that into your business planning.

Just as with other banking fees, all of these costs can be offset against tax, reducing your liability for the year incurred.

Who can apply?

All applications from limited liability companies with a turnover of less than £2m are likely to be accepted even if the director(s) have former defaults, CCJs, or satisfied bankruptcies. Soles traders, and partnerships are also eligible to apply. As there's no credit check, this account could be a lifeline for those looking to open a business bank account but have been prevented doing so by a poor credit history

Our verdict

We used to consider these type of card based business ‘bank’ accounts as a last resort, but they've improved over the years, and now rival many of the traditional highstreet bank accounts.

For those that have exhausted other avenues, card based accounts can be the difference between getting your business up and running, or falling at the first hurdle. Though, unless you really need the ability to pay in cheques, or use Barclays branches, the Card One Account offers little over the CashPlus account.